The 39th annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival has ended on Oahu and the HIFF39 Audience Award have been collected, counted, and tabulated. Yellow Rose directed by Diane Paragas was voted winner of the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and The Australian Dream directed by Daniel Gordon won for Best Documentary Feature.

BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE: YELLOW ROSE directed by Diane Paragas
An undocumented Filipina dreams of leaving her Texas town to pursue country music, but, this changes when her mom is suddenly captured by ICE agents. Terrified, she flees to Austin and embarks on a musical journey of self-discovery.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM directed by Daniel Gordon
When Aboriginal football player Adam Goodes called out someone who called him an ape, he triggered a national debate that brought to the surface the dark heart of racism beating in contemporary Australia.

BEST SHORT FILM: THE PIT WHERE WE WERE BORN directed by Alexander Bocchieri
A father and son reunite around the family ‘imu of their Wai’anae farm, to reckon with a past that continues to color their future.